


The charm of change

by Basorexia



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Arkham (Video Games), Batman: Arkham - All Media Types, Batman: The Animated Series
Genre: Bruce Wayne is a Bad Parent, Dick grayson is a bad brother, Good Parent Alfred Pennyworth, Good Slade Wilson, Happy Ending, Jason Todd Has Issues, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd-centric, Leaving Home, M/M, Starting Over, Swearing, Verbal Abuse, i think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:20:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26875084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Basorexia/pseuds/Basorexia
Summary: The stress and anxiety had took too much of Jason well-being for him to stay in Gotham.He wants to leave, and start anew far away. He just hopes that the life he dreams of will be worth it.
Relationships: Jason Todd/Slade Wilson
Comments: 10
Kudos: 251





	The charm of change

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everybody :) 
> 
> I am back with this one shot. I hope you will like it :) This one is quite different from what I usually write but the idea hit me monday evening and I just wrote it... as usual, no beta because I don't have one. 
> 
> I hope you will enjoy this one shot, and I will be back soon with something new :) 
> 
> Love you guys. 
> 
> xoxo
> 
> Warning : swearing, verbal abuse

Disappearing is easy. At least that's the feeling shared by a large number of people around the world. All they have to do is disconnect completely from their social networks, cut off all contact with their loved ones, if they have any, and leave without looking back.  
The right to be forgotten in some countries makes it even easier. It is enough not to leave any doubt as to the consensual nature of it, proving that the disappearance is not linked to a malicious act, and that's all there is to it. The only element that could thwart one' s right to disappear is the fact of being an unemancipated minor.  
Jason is of legal age and has been considering his options for several months. 

Let's be honest for five minutes. What interest does he have in staying in Gotham?  
Since he has come back to life, his health concerns, both physical and moral, related to the Lazarus Pit, have meant that his life is not as fullfilling as he had hoped.  
This had nothing to do with the fact that Bruce hadn't saved him from the joker or the explosion. Jason knew that the odds had played against him from the beginning, he didn't blame his mentor for not being able to get there in time. He was only human after all.  
He was angry at him for not avenging him. For not having put a definitive end to the horrors committed by the clown-faced monster who had been ravaging Gotham, his city, for years and who was getting a slap on the wrist for any judgment.  
He was also angry at him for replacing him so easily.  
Even if Drake had been persistent and inflexible, Jason would have liked Bruce to be a little more ..... 

He didn't have words to describe exactly what he would have liked, but he knew that the heartache he felt every time he thought back to the time between his death and Tim's taking over, made him suffer.  
It had been too quick for his liking and he sincerely believed that Bruce had been willing to erase the ordeal that the second Robin had gone through by taking a new one under his wing. 

Between his replacement by a younger version, and the fact that he had taken it upon himself to punish Gotham's dregs "adequately," Jason felt rejected. Bruce was systematically on his back, watching his every move, and couldn't help but give him moral lessons without taking the time to even try to understand his point of view. Or consider what he had been through.  
Dick was always in denial. To the first Robin, now Nightwing, Jason was the little brother he couldn't protect, and the young man had decided that he would bury the painful memories. The result was a categorical refusal to accept that yes, Jason had died, yes he had come back to life changed, and no, he was no longer the smiling, laughing, twirling young boy he may have been in the past.  
Dick was desperately clinging to the memory of someone who had died years ago. 

Jason could only be frustrated by his refusal to realize that the dynamic they had couldn't work. Dick being what he is, and Jason traumatized by the events he had experienced, their relationship was tense and uncomfortable. So much so that he and Dick ended up having a violent and vicious argument. His older brother refused to accept that his younger brother couldn't stand the forced affection that the first Robin was displaying towards him when they were meeting.  
They hadn't spoken to each other for almost six months now. 

He didn't want to dwell on his feelings towards Tim and Damian. The two younger boys were particularly unpleasant, self-centered, and always critical of his every move. As for Barbara and Stephanie, if he had to be honest with himself, he had to admit that he hadn't really paid any attention to them. At best they were intrusive, at worst a real nuisance. 

No, if he were to disappear, there were only two people he would really miss. Alfred and Cassandra. Alfred had been the father figure he had always dreamed of. The man was a saint. And he would blame himself forever if he had to make him relive the pain he had had when he died. As for Cassandra, his little sister, she was the only person among Bruce's "children" that he really cared about. Her mere presence soothed Jason. She was a quiet force and he knew that if he ever slipped up, she would be there to kick his ass and set him straight. 

It was because of his feelings for Alfred and Cassandra that he hadn't yet run away and left town. But the more time passed, the harder it became for him to stay.  
Jason had come to develop a form of anxiety at the very thought of running into Bruce. When he received a message from his mentor, his throat would get tight and he would start shaking. When he had to go to the manor, he would have a knot in his stomach, nausea and cold sweats. After a visit from Bruce to deliver one of his endless sermons in one of his safehouses, following a mission, Jason had a panic attack.  
He couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't put on a good face, he couldn't even send everyone away, putting on his mask of indifference and rebellion. He was exhausted. 

Lying on the roof of a Gotham building, Jason watched the city's light-polluted sky. He didn't even react when Bruce landed next to him and towered above him. 

"Red Hood. »  
"Not tonight, no. »  
"You didn't answer our call. You did not come to help us. »  
"I had other things to do. »  
"Red Robin was injured, and ..."  
"What do you want B? »

An uncomfortable silence settled in. Jason was exhausted, and he could already feel his stomach tightening. He was struggling against his instinct to get up, grab his jacket, which he used as a pillow, and run away. 

"You let us down again. We can't count on you. Even when you come on a mission it's hard to trust you, but this time you knowingly let one of your teammates get hurt by your refusal to answer our call. Your behavior is becoming more and more dangerous and I demand that you apologize to the team for failing them in this way. You have responsibilities, Hood. I think that after doing all this drama after you came back, you should be thankful that we didn't just stop you and send you to Blackgate. »

Jason had closed his eyes during Bruce's tirade. Once again, his mentor was blaming him for something he was not responsible for. Tim had been hurt, so what? It wasn't his fault, nothing said that if he had been there, Red Robin would have come out without a scratch. The blame, always the blame. Reproaches accompanied by that little twist that wanted to make him feel guilty for past actions tinged with the madness of The Pit, or his anger at the complete lack of joy that his return among the living had aroused. Threats too. Threats to lock him up and throw away the key. He didn't need to be locked up to feel abandoned.  
The young man got up under Bruce's angry gaze and put on his jacket.  
He had to leave now. To get away from Bruce while he could still control the nausea that threatened to overwhelm him. Without a glance, he turned his back on his mentor and walked towards the edge of the roof, ready to run away. 

"Hood. You're going to come with me and apologize to the team. »  
"Fuck you Bruce. »

Sitting in the back of an Internet cafe in the dark, Jason had made his decision. The conversation he had had with Bruce a few minutes earlier had finally pushed him to make a decision. He didn't want to live like that anymore. He had been given a second chance without ever asking for it, and the only thing he got out of it was pain and regret. It was time for him to focus on what he really wanted for himself, and himself alone. 

He transferred the money he had amassed in his final years to accounts he knew were impossible for Oracle, or any member of his family, to track, and with a satisfied clap of his tongue watched the validation of the transfer appear on the screen.  
The first part was over. His funds were safe. He had only three things left to do. 

He got up and left the cyber café to go home. Arriving in his favorite safehouse, he took a look around, looking at the place he was going to leave behind.  
He took a duffelbag and piled up some clothes, several of his favorite books and a picture frame. The photo in question was of him, Alfred and Cassandra, taken the year before at Thanksgiving. While the others were debating at the table, Jason had slipped away to help the butler in the kitchen. Cassandra had joined them a few minutes later and the three of them had posed for a selfie at the request of the girl. Jason was surprised and grateful to receive the framed photo at Christmas. The others had laughed at the gift, but Jason had loved it. On the back of the picture, Cassandra had written these words in her trembling and still insecure hand, which had warmed his heart: "Brother. Love you. »  
He could not leave the frame behind. 

He closed the bag and put it on the sofa before grabbing paper, pen and envelope. He wrote two letters. One for Alfred, one for Cassandra. He had two reasons for writing these last messages. The first was to leave proof that his disappearance was voluntary and not due to a malicious act against him, thus validating his right to be forgotten. The second was to reassure them, and to apologize for abandoning them in such a way. He loved the old man and the young woman. He did not want to cause them more pain than was necessary.  
The others could go to hell, he didn't care. 

He signed the letters, folded them and put them in the envelopes with their names and the address of the mansion, before grabbing his bag and leaving the place for the last time.  
With his heart beating, he dropped the envelopes at the post office and walked to the bus station.  
He didn't turn around to take one last look at the city that had seen him be born and grow up, before getting on the bus. 

———————————————————————————————————————————

With a sigh Jason closed the open book on his desk. Since arriving in St. Louis, he had had no contact with his family. He had put his past behind him, hung up his Red Hood costume and weapons, and started his life over.  
As soon as he got off the bus, he looked for a place to live, found an apartment, settled in and set his goals. With the money he had saved, he was able to afford the luxury of not ending up on the street, and he was able to follow the path he had chosen.  
The first year he had earned his GED. As Robin, he had passed away before he could even have the opportunity to write the traditional exams, and he knew he would need certification before he could go any further. That first success gave him wings, and confirmed that yes, he wasn't just the wild, hungry kid Bruce had picked up off the street. He was his own person, with his own faults, but also his own successes, completely independent of his so-called family. 

With his GED in his pocket, Jason wasted no time, and spent the next twelve weeks working, learning and revising. He had some ease on certain subjects due to his training with Batman, and what he had been able to learn, but the MCAT preparation left him on his knees. And when he received his results, he screamed with joy in front of his computer. From that moment on, nothing could stand in his way. He was determined to see the end of it. 

It had already been eight years and Jason had already graduated from medical school with flying colors. He had died at fifteen, returned to Gotham shortly before he turned eighteen, left at twenty, and at thirty was about to begin his residency.  
He was happy, and he was enjoying it. He had spent so much time being angry, sowing death and destruction in the past, that now he was focusing on how he could heal those who needed it most.  
He had hesitated for a long time, but had finally given up on the idea of going to family medicine for his residency in order to choose emergency medicine. 

This is what led him to this very moment. He had just moved. He had landed his residency at Metropolis General Hospital and had had to leave St. Louis. Leaving had left him with a twinge in his heart, but he had to admit that he was happy to be able to start the last part of his training. Only three more years and he would have finished.  
He stood up and looked around him. The apartment was still more or less empty, the boxes piled up in the middle of the living room. Rubbing his hands together, he began to open them and settle down. In two days time he was taking up his job, he didn't want to have to bump into the boxes when he came home.  
In the entrance of the apartment there was a small shoe cabinet to the right of the door. There he put a clipboard he had found in a flea market, and above all, he placed the only thing that made him smile when he came home: the frame containing the photo of Cassandra, Alfred and himself. He looked at the photograph with tenderness for a moment and went back to work. Perhaps he should send a note to the old butler and his sister? 

The next day, most of the boxes were empty, and the apartment was largely organized. All he had to do was rest until tomorrow, the big day.  
Lying on the couch with the television on for background noise, Jason sighed with satisfaction. He reached for his phone on the coffee table and dialed a number from memory. 

"Wayne Manor. What can I do for you? »  
"Hello Alfred. »  
"Dear Lord ..."

There was a moment of silence before a dial tone was heard, indicating that the call was being transferred to another phone. After several minutes, Jason heard the other party again. As his voice became less echoing, the young man could guess that the old butler had moved to another room and had isolated himself. 

"Master Jason ..."  
"Hey Alfred. I ... I just wanted .... »  
"Are you all right? Has something happened to you? »

Jason let out a small laugh. Alfred had always been concerned about his well-being. He had often said this to himself, but he meant it when he said the man was a saint. 

"I'm fine, Al. I'm healthy. I just wanted to see how you were doing. It's been a long time since I've heard your voice. I've missed it. »  
"My dear boy .... It's a very bad surprise that you gave Miss Cassandra and myself when you left. »  
"I'm sorry. I am sincerely sorry Alfred. As I told you in the letter, I saw no other solution. I was at the end of my rope. »  
"Do you plan to return to the manor? »  
"No. I have my own life now. I have a real job Alfred, I even quit smoking. »  
"Am I to understand that you have stopped your night-time activities? »  
"That's right. Since the day I left, in truth. »

Jason could hear the rustle of cloth through the handset, either Alfred was moving or he had pulled out a handkerchief. At the sound of the strangled voice answering him, the young man realized that the butler, who usually controlled his emotions so well, had shed a tear for him. 

"I'm very happy to hear that. »  
"Al ... maybe ... maybe one day in the near future you and Cass could visit me? I'm not that far away and..."  
"It would be a pleasure my dear boy. Miss Cassandra would also be very happy. »

Jason smiled, and realized that a weight he had on his shoulders had risen. 

Okay," he said. That's... um, I'll... I'll call you back as soon as I get my schedule for the month, then. So we can work it out. »  
"I'll be waiting for your call. Take care of yourself Master Jason. »  
"You too, Alfred. »

The conversation died down and Jason looked at his phone's home screen for a moment before putting it back on the coffee table. He knew that the butler wouldn't tell Bruce about the call. He trusted him completely. And so he trusted his little sister. She wouldn't endanger his new life. He spent the rest of the day resting, alternating between the couch and the kitchen, before finally turning in for the night. 

The next day, after a hot shower and a quick breakfast, Jason left home with his duffelbag and headed to Metropolis General Hospital. He spent the morning with his supervisor and the other residents learning about what would become the site of the next three years of learning. He enjoyed the place immensely and, to his surprise, the staff was really pleasant. In the early afternoon, he took a short break with some of his new colleagues, tea in hand, in front of the hospital's emergency entrance. He let them go inside and stayed outside for a few more minutes to enjoy the fresh air. 

"Well ... Isn't it a sight for sore eyes ..."

Jason turned around in the direction of the voice that had just called out to him and almost dropped his plastic cup. 

"What on earth are you doing here?"  
"I'm just confirming what I thought I saw from my perch this morning. I had to verify this with my own eyes. »  
"Eye, you mean? »

Slade Wilson, in jeans, t-shirt and leather jacket, stood in front of Jason. The young man was not particularly thrilled to see the mercenary. If Wilson opened his mouth, Bruce would sooner or later know where he was, and he didn't want to have to find a residency on the other side of the country. 

"What are you doing here Todd? I didn't know the undercover missions of the bat were so extended... almost ten years, it's starting to feel like a long time. »  
"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm not on a mission. I hung up. I'm not who I was anymore. »  
"And what does that make you? »  
"Jason Todd, Emergency Medicine Resident at Metropolis General Hospital. »

Slade let out an approving whistle. 

"Nice. Congratulations Doctor. I'm surprised your dear father just let you go like that. »  
"He doesn't know. I just left. And I'd like to keep it that way. I'm very happy the way I am today. No need to ruin my life. You and I never had any problems. I don't want my life to go back to the way it was when I was still in Gotham. »

Jason threw his empty cup into the nearby garbage can, and without a word, returned inside, followed by Wilson's gaze.  
He didn't expect to see the mercenary when he left the ward that evening, but was relieved not to see the man when he left the hospital. He returned home in no hurry, happy to be able to enjoy his new environment in peace. On the way, he used the time he had to call Alfred and give him his schedule. The old man made a point of promising to call him back soon to give him a date for their reunion.  
He hung up the phone and arrived at the door of his apartment and went home with a smile on his face. He locked the door, put the keys in the empty tray, and turned on the living room light. He had put his bag on the floor, and was taking off his jacket when he froze. An intruder was sitting on his sofa. 

"What the ...  
"You've really lost all your reflexes, kid. Good thing though, that you're keeping your looks. »  
"Slade.... What are you doing in my house?"

Jason's tone was weary. He had decided that getting angry at the mercenary's intrusion would serve no purpose at all. For the past few years he had deliberately neglected the training he had received, only going to the gym to maintain his stature. And he knew full well that brute force would be of no help in the face of Wilson and his superhuman strength.

"I'm curious. »  
"Curious? Shouldn't you rather be annoying a vigilante in a tight black and blue jumpsuit? »  
"Black and red. »  
"What? »  
"Black and red, not black and blue. He changed his style some time ago. »  
"Whatever. »

Jason put his jacket away and grabbed his bag to empty it and put his uniform in the laundry. He went to his room to take out a clean one and placed it over the bag next to the couch for the next day. Slade had not moved an inch. 

"Slade. I really think you should leave. I have nothing more to do with this life. »  
"I understood. But as I told you I'm curious. »  
"Curious about what exactly? »  
"Why did you leave? Where did you go? Why become a doctor? »  
"I don't see how that's any of your business. And especially since when have you been interested in this kind of thing? »  
"Call it old age. »

Jason snorted and rolled his eyes. It was clear that he would not get rid of the mercenary so easily. Reluctantly, Jason grabbed his phone and ordered food for two before sitting down next to the mercenary. 

"I ordered food, since you obviously won't leave me alone. »  
"Good idea, I'm starving. »  
"Go ahead and spit out your questions. I'd like to go to bed early, I have a big day tomorrow. »

The mercenary grinned half mockingly and made himself comfortable. 

"The first question would be: Why did you leave? As far as I know, you had a nice operation in place in Gotham. »

Jason closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. He didn't like having to remember the past. He had done everything in recent years for his past actions remain just that. Having to relive Bruce's behavior, his family's behavior, his anxiety attacks, he didn't like it at all. 

"I left because I was tired of being Bruce's punching bag. When they realized that physical injuries didn't do anything, they became verbally abusive. I developed anxiety attacks at the thought of seeing or talking to them. I was not .... Staying in Gotham would have been a mistake and I would have either ended up getting killed because I made a mistake due to my distraction or I would have ended up killing myself. »  
"I knew Batman was uptight, but I don't think he wanted to knowingly..."  
"Slade, I was already fragile with the effects of the Pit, and the only words Bruce spoke to me were accusations, reproaches, and put me lower than ground. The last time I saw him, I refused to answer his call for a patrol, Red Robin was injured, and Bruce put him on my back. For him, by not coming to help, I was automatically responsible for his son's injury. »

A long silence, heavy with meaning settled in. Slade quickly understood that Jason had been Bruce's scapegoat since his return to the living. The young man had not been tender, and had committed acts that brought him closer to the villains than to the vigilantes and other heroes, but he still had extenuating circumstances. Moreover, he was Bruce's son. Slade had not been a model father, but he had always believed that despite the fact that his sidekicks were young, Bruce had a better relationship with his children than that. Clearly this was not the case, and he had managed to scare away the most stubborn of the gang. This says a lot about how hard the second robin had to be treated. 

"And then you left. »  
"Yeah .... Staying in Gotham was no longer an option. I transferred the money I had saved and left. I went to St. Louis. »  
"Saint-Louis? You went from night to day. »  
"That was the goal. I took my GED, the MCAT, passed my bachelor's and finished medical school before coming here for my residency."  
" Impressive. Especially when you're alone and isolated. More than one person would have dropped out. »

Jason let out a light laugh. 

"I wasn't that lonely. I met people when I was in St. Louis. I even had my first boyfriend. We were together for my entire bachelor's degree. »  
"Did it end badly? »  
"No. We just didn't have time for each other anymore. And in the end we would have ended up splitting up. I'm here, and he's gone to Phoenix for his residency."

Slade didn't comment on it, and watched Jason get up to open the door for the delivery boy who had just rang the bell. The young man returned with two pizzas and a bottle of soda, which he placed in front of them on the coffee table.  
The two men began to eat when Slade resumed the conversation. 

"And so ... why medicine? From what I remember about you, you were more interested in literature. »  
"I see that someone had nothing else to do but take an interest in my hobbies. »  
"Sue me."  
"Hmpf .... I love to read. It's no secret. But I didn't see myself in a literary profession. Medicine was an ideal solution. The job is interesting, challenging, and after all the blood I've shed, I must have a higher than average karmic debt. It was time for me to correct the trajectory my life was heading in. »

Again a silence settled and the two men ate a long silence before Jason, with a satisfied sigh, collapsed on the couch. 

"Now it's my turn. Why did you come to see me at the hospital? Why did you come home to wait for me? »  
"I was serious earlier. I was curious. Bruce is not known for letting his child soldiers go like that. Especially since he dragged you into his personal crusade at an extremely young age. I didn't think any of you would ever find the will to leave. »  
"Well ... shit happens. »

In the weeks that followed, Jason saw Slade Wilson several times. They even ended up exchanging phone numbers. Slade had had to leave town on a contract and they kept in touch, exchanging messages. The messages in question consisted mainly of Slade asking Jason for a summary of his day, or night, depending on the shifts he was assigned. The young man thought this was strange, but after the evening they had spent when Slade broke into his home, he decided it couldn't be too dangerous. The mercenary had understood that Jason was done with the life of a vigilante.  
The young man got up when the doorbell rang, and went to open the door to come face to face with his guests.  
He didn't have time to react and Cassandra threw herself into his arms and forcefully hugged him. Obviously the young woman had missed him. When she finally let him go, Alfred was able to enter in his turn, and he too, with a little more reserve, hugged the young man. 

"Alfred, Cass. I'm glad to see you again. »

He let them finish entering, took their coats and set them at the table, near the kitchen. What he had prepared was still in the oven, and they still had a little time ahead of them to have a glass of wine and talk.  
At the butler's request, Jason gave them a summary of what he had done since leaving Gotham, much more detailed than he had been able to tell Slade. Alfred seemed particularly proud of Jason, while Cassandra punctuated her brother's speech with approving nods and joyful smiles. Jason was at peace. He had been afraid that the only two people in his family that he loved and respected would make him give up his profession and ask him to go back to the manor with them, but that was not to be.  
They both seemed particularly pleased with the turn Jason's life had taken, and clearly they didn't want that to change. 

"Jason happy. Good."  
"Thanks Cass."

Dinner was spent in a good mood, and not for a moment was Bruce, Dick, or the rest of the family mentioned. Neither Alfred nor Cassandra had wanted to put the subject on the table, and Jason was not interested. And when they parted, they promised to schedule meetings like this regularly. At least once a month. As soon as the door of his apartment was closed behind Alfred and Cassandra, Jason's phone vibrated. A message from Slade announcing his return to Metropolis that evening appeared on a screen.  
The young man couldn't help smiling and invited the mercenary to stop by his place for a drink. The invitation was accepted and a few hours later, the two men were comfortably seated on Jason's couch, each with a glass of wine. 

"So the reunion went well in the end. »  
"Yes, better than I expected. Honestly I was afraid that after leaving like I did..."  
"They blame you and make you pay for it? »  
« …. Stupid huh? »  
"No. Just a little bit of distrust towards the man who is clearly a father to you and your sister. »  
"I also have brothers who wouldn't hesitate to lock me in a closet and throw away the key if they saw me again. »  
"Hm ... they would have to go through me first. »

Jason almost choked on the sip of wine he was swallowing. 

"What do you mean? »  
"I like you. You have achieved what those who want to give up the life of a hero or vigilante have never been able to do. I respect that. Therefore, if your father or even any member of your family has even the slightest idea of changing your new quiet life, I will take them down, without any regrets. »

The young man stared at Slade. He could hardly understand what the mercenary was up to. He hadn't paid him for protection, they had never been particularly close until recently, and clearly Slade had nothing to gain from it. At best, his behavior, or rather his statement was completely out of character.

"Slade. I completely appreciate the sentiment, though... I don't understand why you would do such a thing. »  
"I told you kid. I like you. »  
"That's not a reason. You liked Dick, and yet you didn't stop hitting him or shooting him when he got in your way. »

The mercenary stood up, grabbed Jason by the shirt and kissed him without further ado. At first shocked, the young man fluttered and finally let himself go. He responded to Slade's kiss, biting his lower lip before pushing his tongue between the mercenary's lips. 

"I told you kid. I like you. »

Slade did not stay. He had left shortly after they exchanged that surprising and pleasant kiss. Jason had been disconcerted by the kiss. He had been trying to recall his encounters with Slade since he had moved to Metropolis, and couldn't remember a moment, a sentence, or a gesture that might have told him that the mercenary was interested. Even when he was teasing Dick from a distance, Slade was much more aggressive or even blatant with his sexual innuendoes. Here ... nothing. And yet Jason probably would have remembered if Wilson had showed interest...  
Jason shook his head and went to bed. He couldn't let a simple kiss that had certainly been motivated by fatigue and wine distract him from his goals. And a reassuring loneliness. 

Following this incident, Jason resumed a life that could be described as normal. He went to the hospital, did his shifts, learned everything he could and went home, enjoying his freedom. He hadn't heard from his family since Alfred and Cassandra visited him. Proof that his trust was well placed.  
After a week, he found Slade sitting on his couch again when he came home from the hospital. 

"Seriously? »  
"I've never been much of a bell-ringer. »

Jason grumbled for a moment, putting his uniform in the laundry, and changing before joining the mercenary. Clearly, Slade was getting comfortable. 

"Next time, please wait until I get home and ring the doorbell. »  
"Hm ... much less fun. »  
"Slade..."

The mercenary smirked but promised nothing. Instead he handed a beer to Jason who accepted it half reluctantly. He took a sip and put the bottle back on the coffee table before asking the question that had bothered him. 

"Why did you kiss me? And don't answer because you like me. If you had been interested you would have behaved the same way you do with... with...".  
"With your brother? No. Dick is fun, he loves the attention, but when you push him a little he blushes like an innocent. It's just a lot of fun to see him blush and stammer. »

Jason was still dissecting the mercenary's words, when he put his bottle on the table next to his host's, and took the opportunity to grab the young man and draw him in a kiss. This time Jason did not protest. He kissed him back, and when Slade let his right hand slide under the young man's shirt, Jason didn't resist. 

" Bedroom. Right now."

This time Slade had spent the night there. And despite all the reservations Jason had had up to that point, he didn't regret yielding to temptation. Sleeping with Slade had been ... revealing. For one thing, he had clearly missed being intimate with someone without being particularly aware of it. Since the end of his relationship with his ex, he hadn't had a new affair, not even a one-night stand. Secondly, he enjoyed the mercenary. More than just a potentially dangerous acquaintance. He hadn't fallen in love with him at first kiss, but if Slade was as enterprising as he had been the night before, Jason wouldn't be the one to deny him.  
The mercenary was still asleep when Jason left his apartment on his way to work, and when he returned after his shift, his guest was gone and only a note on the coffee table in the living room was waiting for him. 

As was his habit, he took his uniform from his bag, put it in the laundry, and went to get another one for his bag for the next day. He then put on some comfortable clothes and thought back to the evening before. He had not thought about his actions. By not pushing Slade away, he wondered if he had made a mistake. He had managed for almost ten years to put his old life behind him, he had built a new future for himself and the first thing he did when he arrived in Metropolis was to run into the mercenary? Worse yet, instead of keeping him at a distance, he let him come home, and had even had sex with him.  
He had let him into his new life, something that connected him to a past he was still trying to forget.  
He could say the same about Alfred and Cassandra. Although he loved them deeply, both the old butler and his sister were connected to his past, and although he felt guilty about it, they were potentially a weakness. A weakness that could potentially put Bruce on his trail. 

With a sigh he took the note that Slade had left him and read it quickly. Nothing of great importance. He was just telling him that he would be back in a few days. The mercenary had just returned from a contract, so he must have had things to do. And Jason noted with relief, that he hadn't mentioned their little tryst from the day before.  
He was relieved, but the guilt was there.  
Jason turned on the television and lay down on the couch, it wasn't time for self-flagellation. He could still fix his mistake. All he had to do was talk to Slade. After all, the mercenary was smart, he would understand that Jason couldn't afford to take such a leap backwards after spending almost ten years building something healthy, away from the life of a vigilante. 

Immersed in his thoughts, he was startled when his front doorbell rang. With a growl, he stood up and went to the peephole to see who could come and bother him. His breath stopped when he saw that Dick was behind the door. He took a step back, trying to be as quiet as possible, hoping with all his heart that his brother would leave of his own free will.  
Several minutes passed before the doorbell rang again and three knocks were given to the door. 

"I know you're there, I can hear the television. Just open the door. »

Jason, as a reflex, glanced blankly at the television, and mentally slapped himself for turning it on. He would have been better off cooking than trying to drown his thoughts by being dazed by an entertainment program.  
Dick rang a third time.

"Jason please open the door. I just... I just want to talk. Please..."

The young man exhaled trembling. He did not want to see his brother alone. He refused to open the door. He chose another solution. He approached the front door of his apartment again and addressed his brother without opening it. 

"Go away, Dick. I have nothing to say to you. »  
"You can't be serious ! You disappear from one day to the next, hasn't given any news for nine years... NINE YEARS JASON!! And you don't even warn us when you come back !! »

This time Jason was angry. It had been a long time since he had succumbed to this feeling, and without thinking, he opened the door, furrowed eyebrows, the tops of his ears red. 

"And in nine years it hasn't crossed your mind for a second that I didn't want anything more to do with you? »  
"You have abandoned your FAMILY! »  
"My family? You mean the people who spent the two years after my return to Gotham putting me down, harassing me, and trying to make me feel guilty for every breath I took? I owe you absolutely nothing, Dick. I don't owe anything to anyone, and certainly not to this family who, under the guise of rules and justice, allows themselves to harass others until they buy into their ideas. Fuck you, Dick, and don't ever come back to my house again. »  
"You're really a selfish fuck, Jason. »

Dick, without Jason seeing him coming, punched him in the face and pushed him back two steps. With a paltry snort, Jason pulled himself together and touched his eye, which would soon turn black. 

"I hope hitting me did you good, Dick, because the next time you set foot in here, I'm going to press charges. Go away. »

With these words, he slammed the door in Dick's face and ignored the blows to his door until they ceased for good. Jason fetched a cold pack that he kept in his fridge and applied it, hissing in pain at the touch, to his eye. He would have a beautiful black eye, and hoped he wouldn't be blamed for it in the hospital. He would be honest with his supervisor. After all, his brother had assaulted him, he wasn't at fault. He didn't want to lose his residency because of Dick's stupidity. 

With the cold pocket still on his eye, he picked up his phone and went to his contacts, selecting a number he now knew by heart. 

"Kid. »  
"Hey Slade. Just... if you're still in Metropolis, don't go out. I just got a visit from Dick. »

There was a short silence before the mercenary spoke again. 

"I see. Is everything alright? »  
"No. I'm going to get a black eye, and I threatened to press charges if he came back. Coming to Metropolis was a bad idea. »  
"Hm ... give me an hour and a half and I'm there. »

The line was cut, and Jason slumped into the couch. The guilt he'd felt earlier about Slade had evaporated after his brief encounter with Dick. Certainly Slade was an unstable element, and he couldn't have complete trust in him, however, he needed to feel ... appreciated. He needed a presence that didn't give him hives, or throw accusations in his face, without questioning themselves.  
Phone still in hand, Jason ordered food, and an hour and a half later, Slade arrived as promised. As soon as the door opened, Slade examined Jason's face and frowned. He didn't comment, but Jason could see the mercenary tense up.  
They settled down on the couch and quietly began the delivered meal, discussing Dick's surprise visit. 

"I don't even know how he knew I was there. Neither Alfred nor Cass told anyone I was here. »  
"There must be some superhero who could have known you were there. Superman might have spotted you. »  
"I don't know. I don't think he's the type to sell me like that. Especially since if he had been the one to denounce me, it wouldn't have been Dick who would have come, but Bruce. »  
"Hm ... Maybe for the next few days you shouldn't live here. If only to discourage your brother if he ever comes back. »  
"And where would I live? In a hotel? With my changing schedules and the fatigue of the job, I can't afford to add extra stress to my life. I work in the emergency room, Slade, it's exhausting enough. »  
"I have a safehouse in town. »

Jason choked on his food.

"What? »  
"Don't look so surprised Kid. »  
"Are you kidding? We sleep together once and now you invite me to live with you! »  
"And? Why? Do you want me to invite you to a movie and then to a restaurant before taking you back to my place for a last coffee? Sorry, not my style. »  
"That's not what I meant at all, Slade, and you know that. I'm a civilian now, and you're a mercenary. At best, I endanger your safehouse with my coming and going. And it's not as if..."  
"As if what? Kid, I've been hovering around you for weeks, you're really slow at realising things. »

Jason blushed slightly and focused on his plate, ignoring the gaze fixed on him. 

"Jason, look at me. »

The young man shuddered under the mercenary's authoritative tone, and put down his plate before turning to his guest.

"I'm just giving you an escape route. Feel free to take it. But if you do, don't expect me to keep my hands to myself. »

Jason considered his options for a moment under the mercenary's gaze, before sighing and rubbing his forehead in resignation. 

"Okay."  
"You heard the part where..."  
"Yes, yes, I understood that you were planning to defile me. »

Slade let out a satisfied laugh and pulled Jason against him to steal a kiss. 

"Now all you have to do is pack your bag. I'll take you home tonight. »

—————————————————————————————————————————

Jason had to admit that living with Slade was strangely enjoyable. Apart from the fact that he was embarrassed the first few nights to share a bed with the mercenary, he let him get on with his life. He had even accompanied him to the hospital the first few days, if only to dissuade any member of the batfamily who would have set their mind to follow Jason.  
His colleagues' reaction to his black eye had been mixed, and his supervisor took him to a one-on-one interview to get an explanation for what had happened to him. Jason came out of the office relieved not to have been reprimanded, but had to deal with some of his colleagues who had seen him arrive that morning with Slade, and who had questions about the mysterious stranger.  
The fact that he had presented the mercenary as a simple friend of long standing, had obviously not convinced, and the knowing smiles of his colleagues had left him with red cheeks and stammering a beginning of protest as they dispersed to return to their respective posts. 

At the end of his shift, Slade was there waiting for him, and Jason didn't escape the "Just a friend huh? "laughed by one of his colleagues when the mercenary lured him to kiss him with a smug smile.  
Without a word, arm in arm, they set off on their way back to Slade's house. Since leaving his apartment, Jason hadn't heard from his brother. He hadn't wanted to call Alfred or his sister to tell them, for fear that they would get involved. However, he felt that Bruce now knew about his return. 

"Maybe I should stop by my house and pick up some clothes. »  
"We can do it now. And on the way back, we will stop at the Chinese to take some food. »

Jason nodded to signify his agreement, and they went straight to Jason's house. The young man was relieved to see that no one had broken into his house in his absence, nor had they made a mess. He went to his room to get some clothes, leaving Slade in the living room. It was only a few minutes before his attention was caught by two voices from the next room. Slade was not alone.  
With his heart pounding, Jason dropped the bag in his hands, rushed into the living room, and found Slade facing Bruce. 

"What..."  
"Get your stuff, Kid. We're leaving. »

Bruce stepped forward, visibly angry, and stared at his son with an icy look. 

"Jason. You stay there. You have some explaining to do. »

Slade clearly stood between the young man and his father before Jason could think to answer him. He returned to the room, grabbed his bag, hands trembling, closed it and joined Slade, who was still keeping Bruce at a distance. 

"Slade. I'm ready to go. »

Bruce did not hesitate and threw himself at the mercenary who intercepted him and both fell in a fight that they had fought many times over the years. Jason was paralyzed in his corner, unable to react. He didn't want to interfere, he didn't want to obstruct Slade, and he certainly didn't want to be within his father's reach.  
As every time Bruce and the mercenary met, Slade eventually emerged victorious from the confrontation, and for good measure, gave Bruce one last kick while he was still on the ground. 

"Come at him again, and this time I won't do you the favor of letting you live. »

Slade grabbed Jason by the hand and dragged him behind him to return to the safehouse where they had made their home.  
Jason was still trembling when they were finally safe, and it was Slade who took the bag from his hands and put it on the ground. 

"Jason? Hey Kid, look at me. »

The young man looked up at his host, and with a start, wrapped himself around him forcefully, letting himself go, sobbing against the mercenary. 

"I know, I know. It's going to be all right. I'm here, he can't reach you here. »

They stayed in this position for a long time, until Jason calmed down and was able to straighten himself up. 

"I should never have come to Metropolis. I should have stayed around St. Louis. »  
"They would've found you eventually one way or another kid. I'm just surprised they didn't before. »

Jason stepped back and shook his head. He didn't want to let Bruce have such a hold on him, he didn't want to feel what had made him leave again. 

I'm sorry," he said. Because of me..."  
"Because of you nothing at all. Jason ..."

Slade drew him back to him and kissed him tenderly, placing one hand on the young man's hip and the other on his neck. He felt Jason melt against him, and hugged him firmly. 

"It's you and me now. You are Jason Todd, resident in Emergency Medicine at Metropolis Hospital. Not Jason Todd, the little boy in green shorts running around the rooftops of Gotham. You don't owe them anything anymore, and if I have to, I will put a bullet between the eyes of every member of your family who will try to tear you away from the life you've managed to build for yourself. »  
"Slade... why would you do that? »  
"I told you kid. I like you. »


End file.
